Elon Baseball Splits Pair With Georgia Southern

ELON, N.C. – With inclement weather in the forecast for Sunday, the Elon University baseball team opened its three-game series with the Georgia Southern Eagles by splitting a doubleheader at Latham Park on Friday. The Phoenix took the opener by an 8-6 score before falling 7-0 in the nightcap.

Game 1 Box Score | Game 1 Play-by-Play
Game 2 Box Score | Game 2 Play-by-Play

In game one, Ryan Conroy (2-0) picked up the win after striking out a career-best nine hitters in 7.0 innings. Conroy allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits. Danny Crowethrew the ninth, fanning a pair, for his second save of the season.

Evan Challenger (0-3) suffered the loss in game one after surrendering five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. He also struck out nine hitters.

Brian Eichhorn (1-1) earned the win in game two for Georgia Southern. He struck out 12 in 7.0 innings and allowed just two hits.

The loss was charged to Elon’s Robbie Welhaf (2-2) who allowed six runs (five earned) in 2.2 innings.

Cam Devanney led Elon (7-8) in game one, going 3-for-3 with a double, triple and career-best three RBI. In game two, Ryne Ogren notched two hits, including a double.

Georgia Southern (8-7) saw Curry go 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in game one. Curry then went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in the second contest.

How It Happened (Game 1): Georgia Southern took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Mason McWhorter doubled home a pair. Elon bounced right back and evened the score in the bottom half when Zach Evers sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall down the left field line for his fourth home run of the year.

The Phoenix would take a 3-2 lead in the third when Devanney singled home Kyle Jackson.

After the Eagles tied it in the top of the sixth, Elon came right back with a two-spot in the bottom half to grab the lead for good. Will Nance got the Phoenix started with a double and then scored on Devanney’s triple. A ground out would then plate Devanney as Elon went ahead 5-3.

The Phoenix stretched its advantage to 7-3 in the seventh when Devanney doubled home one and scored on a Jamal Clarke single.

Georgia Southern tightened it back up in the eighth, scoring three times, including a pair on a Steven Curry single.

Jackson’s RBI single to left in the bottom of the eight gave Elon its final two-run cushion.

How It Happened (Game 2): Georgia Southern started game two the same way it began the opener – by scoring twice in the first inning. Curry led it off with a single, moved to second on a walk and scored on an Elon error. Jordan Wren would then single home the second run.

The Eagles put up four runs in the second inning to extend their lead to 6-0. Jacob Greene got things started with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt before back-to-back singles from Curry and Mitchell Golden scored a run. Ryan Cleveland’s double scored the fourth Georgia Southern run and then McWhorter singled home the final two of the frame.

A bases-loaded walk in the fourth allowed the final run to score.

Notes: Devanney was a home run shy of the cycle in game one… After reaching base safely in the first 14 games of the season, Evers failed to reach in game two of the doubleheader… Conroy has now struck out 26 hitters in 28.0 innings on the year… Welhaf had not allowed a run in 17.0 innings at Latham Park before he surrendered a run with one out in the first inning of game two.

On Deck: Elon and Georgia Southern will wrap up the three-game series with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday at Latham Park.